Vehicle-iron



(No Model.)

UGDBN, HIGLB IRON,

No. 426,878. V Patented Apr. 29, 1890.

- a singletree or neck-yoke.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMONDS J. SUGDEN, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

VEHICLE-IRON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,878, dated April29, 1890.

Applicationfiled August 22, 1889. Serial No. 321,625. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMONDS J. SUGDEN, of Pittsburg, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in \Vhiffletree or Neck-Yoke Irons, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows in plan view a taperedmetal bar adapted to be fitted with irons for use as Fig. 2 is a planView of the finished article; Fig. 3, a plan View of a doubletree, andFig. 4 a similar View of a sin gletree. Fig. 5 is a verticalcrosssection on the line V V of Fig. 2. Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, and aresections of different forms of metal bar which may be used. in themanufacture of my improved articles.

My invention relates to an improvement in singletrees, doubletrees, andneck-yokes; and it consists in such articles formed as hereinafterdescribed and claimed, the construction being such as to afford thegreatest possible strength combined with elasticity and lightness ofweight.

The article is made from an iron or steel bar provided with flanges andan intervening web. Of this class of bars there are many forms, severalof which I have illustrated in the drawings, Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, and. 10,the best known of these forms being the common I-beam and thechannel-bar. I take abar of this sort and by suitable means, such ashereinafterdescribed, I taper it longitudinally from at or near themiddle toward the ends, and then apply to it the irons or means ofattachment to the vehicle and draft-chains in such manner that when inuse the strain of traction shall be exertedon the bar substantially inthe plane of the web. To increase the elasticity of the article, it maybe hardened or tempered in the usual manner.

Another method of manufacture of my improved article is to produce itdirectly in its finished form by casting from iron or steel in asuitable mold, without employing any subsequent rolling or reduction.Such articles should be subsequently annealed in the usual manner. Thekind of material to be used and the precise manner of manufacture of thearticles will be determined by the qualities of elasticity, lightness,and rigidity required in the finished product, all or any of which canbe attained by the use of suitable material properlyproportion ed andskillfully and intelligently manipulated.

To describe more particularly the'manw facture of these articlesaccording to the mode first above indicated, I take a bar of steel ofthe general form above defined, and having cut it into suitable lengthsI roll or forge it into the shape shown in Fig. 1, so that it shalltaper from at or near the middle toward its ends. This taper may be agradual reduction in all its cross-sectional dimensions or in any ofthem. For example, the web may be tapered and not the flanges, or theflanges may be tapered and not the web; but I prefer to taper all theseparts. Such tapering is preferably performed according to a method ofmanufacture described and claimed by me in an application for LettersPatent,

Serial No. 321,626, filed August, 1889. At.

the ends of the bar I preferably reduce the metal for a shortdistancesay about four inches-to round or elliptical form, and afterwardbend these parts into the form of hooks or eyes 2 for the attachment ofthe draftchains, as shown in Figs. 2 ands; or, if desired, the hooks maybe formed separately and Welded to the ends of the bar. In Fig. 2 thebar is shown provided at the end with hooks. In Fig.4 it is shownprovided with eyes 2 and links 3 applied thereto. I In Fig. 3 thedoubletree is provided with links 9,which are fitted in holes formed fortheir reception in the web of the metal bar, and at its ends it may alsobe formed with hooks or eyes, as above described.

In order to add strength to the bar, I may divide the web at the middleby a split l, extending a suitable distance in both directions andspread laterally, thus forming a truss, which imparts very greatstrength to the bar. This truss is braced by means of a clip 5, set at asuitable place or places on the bar and having a portion 6 interposedbetween the divided parts or straps of the web. This clip may be shapedto form aband encircling the article, having an integral hooked portion7, as shown in Fig. 2, or it may have a hole extending through it forthe accommodation of a king-pin to attach the article to the pole orshaft of a vehicle, as shown in Fig. 3. The article shown in Figs. 2 andt is not split or divided. The clip may be shrunk on the bar or maybeotherwise applied ,but it is applied in such manner that in use of thearticle the plane of the web shall be substantially in the line ofdraft.

The mode of making the article directly in its tapered form by castingin a proper mold will be readily understood.

The advantages of my invention will be appreciated by those skilled inthe art.

I have found that articles made as I have described are much lighterthan wooden articles of the same strength, are much neater, moredurable, and by reason of their elasticity they relieve the horses fromthe great strain of starting with heavy loads Without the use ofseparate tug-springs or other appliances.

I do not limit my invention to its application to any particular styleor shape of sin gletrees, doubletrees, or neck-yokes, except as statedin the claims. Any desired pattern or style may be made according to myinvention, and any suitable fittings may be applied to them.

The formation of the article in a truss form is of great advantage inthe strength it atfords, and I desire to claim it'broadly, independentlyof the form or style of metal bar employed. For example, the sameconstruction could be applied with advantage to unflanged bars. It willbe understood, also, that the article can be made without division ort'ru'ssing, and that the claims of this patent are not limited thereto,nor to any other limitations of the description, unless expressly sostated therein. Thus it is possible to secure some of the advantages ofmy invention within the scope of this patent by forming the article of ametal bar with longitudinal flanges and an intermediate web withouttapering, it being necessary only that in such case the web should be inthe plane of the draft when the article is in use.

The method of making my improved article may also be modified in itsdetails by those skilled in the art of metal working, since I claim,broadly- 1. A vehicle-iron of the nature described, consisting of ametal bar having longitudinal flanges and an intermediate web, andhaving draft-irons in such position that the web shall be substantiallyin the plane of the draft, substantially as set forth.

2. A vehicle-iron of the nature described, consisting of a tapered metalbarhaving longitudinal flanges and an intermediate web, substantially asset forth.

3. A vehicle-iron of the nature described, consisting of a metalbarhaving longitudinal flanges and an intermediate web, and having theweb divided to form a truss, substantially as set forth.

4. A vehicle-iron of the nature described, consisting of a tapered metalbar, whose cross-section is that of an I-beam, substantially as and forthe purposes described. I

5. A vehicle-iron of the nature described, consisting of a metal barsplit and separated in truss form, substantially as set forth.

6. A vehicle-iron of the nature described, consisting of a metal barsplit and separated in truss form, and having a clip connecting thesides of the truss, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 14th day ofAugust, A. D. 1889.

EDMONDS J. SUGDEN. lVitnesses:

\V. B. CORWIN, THOMAS W. BAKEWELL.

